Anticreeper for rails.



RQE. BELKNAP. ANTICREEPER FOR RAILS. APPLICATION FILED IUNEQS I913.

' 71 Patented May 29, 1917.

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R. E. BELKNAP.

ANTICREEPER FOR RAILS. APPLICATlON FILED :uuzzs. I913- 1 ,228,1 71 Patented May 29, 1917.

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ROBERT E. BELKN'AP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGFNOB TO ANCHOR, COMPANY, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPOHATION OF ILLINOIS.

ANTICREEPEB, FOR RAILS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917..

Application filed June 23, 1913. Seriai 1i 0. 775,172.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bonnier E. BELKNAP, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois havev invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Anticreepers for Rails, of which the-following is a specification.

My invention relates to an anti-creeper or anchor for rails used for the purpose of preventing the longitudinal movement or creeping of the rail and the object thereof is to provide a simple, efiicient and reliable device of this character. The various features of advantage and utility in my construction of anti-creeper will be apparent from the description hereinafter given.

Some of the embodiments of my invention. which are disclosed and broadly claimed in application are more specifically claimed in divisional applications Serial No. 149,259, filed February 17, 1917, and Serial No. 155,582, filed March 17, 1917. I

In the drawings Figure- 1 is an elevation of my anti-creeper in its simplest form, the same being illustrated as-applied to a rail shown in cross-section; Fig. 2 a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 aside elevation of a modified form of device shown applied to a rail; Fig. 4 an end elevation of the anti-creeper of Fig. 3; Figs. 5 and 6 views similar to Figs. 1 and 3 and illustrating other modifications; Fig. 7 is an end elevation illustrating another modification; Fig. 8 a detail view of one of the parts shown in Fig. 7 Fig. 9 an end elevation of another modification; Fig. 10 a side elevation thereof; Fig. 11 a section on the line 11l1 of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 an elevation of an anti-creeper similar to that shown in Fig. 9 but provided with engaging teeth; Fig. 13 a view similar to Fig. 9 but-illustrating a two-part. construction of the 'anti-creeper; Fig. 14; a section on the line 1{l14 of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 a side elevation ofanother modified form of construction; Fig. 16 a side elevation of an anti-creeper similar to that shown 111 Fig. 15 except as to the location and arrangement of the bearing points; Fig.

17 an end elevation of a modification of the anti-creeper shown in" Fig. 1, and Fig. 18 a side elevation of the device of Fig. 17.

My invention may be embodied in different forms of construction as illustrated in specifically required by the terms of any claim. -Speaking in general terms, creeper in all of its forms is provided with one or more pairs of jaws adapted to engage the upper and lower faces of the rail base and is adapted to grip and hold the rail when the device is oscillated or rocked,-such oscillation, which is of slight degree, being substantially in a vertical plane as distinguished froma movement in a substantially horizontal plane. By preference the anticreepers are made so as to engage the base of the rail toward the middle portion thereof, substantially below the line of the web and also to engage the upper face of the base of. the rail toward such web, to the end that the powerful gripping and binding action of the anticreeper shall not chip, break or otherwise my antiand engaging the rail suba preferably of the shape shown, comprises a substantially nonresilientbody portion 1 having an inturned extension or lip 2 which in connection with such body portion forms jaws adapted to receive one rail A, the same reference 'letter being used in. all of the, figures to designate the rail. The top edge of the body portion proper has by preference a raised part l adapted to bear against the central portion of the under face of the rail base.

.85 flange or side of the base of the a The lip or upper jaw f portion-2 of the anti-creeper is provided toward its outer end with' a bearing part 2 adapted to bear upon the upper face of one side of the railfiange, such being the preferred construction. "It will be understood that as clearlyshown in Fig. 1 it is preferredthat there shall be no gripping or binding contact between the jaws of the anticreeper and the thinner outer edge of the rail base. The body portionv of the anticreeper has a somewhat attenuated extension 1 which is adapted to'be bent over frompositlon to the full line o 1 so as to engage the ot er the dotted line sition of F of the latter.

side or flange of the rail base and to thereby hold the anti-creeper upon the rail. The body of the anti-creeper depends from the rail and a slight movement of such anticreeper due to contact of its lower end or leg I jaws are not in the same vertical plane but are offset with respect to each other so that the slight movement described instantly brings the anti-creeper into action as described.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a modified form of construction as regards the means whereby the anti-creeper may be held to the rail against displacement and the proper gripping of the rail is insured. In this form the body portion 3 is provided with a bearing surface and with the same general character of extension or lip 4 similar to the extension 2 of Fig. 1 but unprovided with the extension 1 of the first described form. The upper jaw 4, however, is provided with a somewhat attenuated extension 4 which is adapted to be passed through a hole a in the web of the rail and t0 be'then bent from the dotted line position to the full line position shown in Fig. 4. ivhen the rail starts to creep, the anti-creeper is slightly roclted or tilted thelower end or foot being against a tie or the ballast acting as a. fulcrum, and the jaws are thus usually caused to grip and bind the rail against any further movement. If, however, for any reason. this tendency of the anchor to tilt when the foot or leg engages a tie is insufficient to effect good gripping action by the jawsthe anchor, being in elfect pivoted on extension i, and having the foot rendered incapal'ilc of further advance because of its engagement with the tie, will be rocked or tilted about the axis or pivot P, and impingement of the jaws on the rail will be forced. By preference the extension 45* is provided with a lug d" adapted to bear against one side of the web of the rail adjacent the hole (t in order to prevent such I extension from passing too far through the hole.

In Fig. 5 I ha is illustrated another modification which is substhntially a combination of the features of Figs. 1 and 4. In

, this modification the body portion 5 has the same upper aw construction 6 as the other forms and also the holding extensions 5* and 6 similar to the extensions 1" and 4 respectively. already described.

In Fig. 6 another modification is illustrated, wherein the pivotal connection with the web of the rail is longitudinally displaced, relative to the gripping jaws. With this construction, good gripping action can be obtained between the edge of the 'opening in the web and the top or bottom of the base flange, and one of the gripping jaws may be dispensed with, if desired.

In Fig. '1 I have illustrated another moditied form of construction in which the body portion 7 has an upper jaw 8 as before and also an extension 8 similar to the extension et of Fig. 4. The body portion has an extension 7 which, ho ever, is not bent over the edge of the rail base but merely extends horizontally', the same being engaged by the lower apertured end of a rod 9 whose upper end is passed through the same hole I) inthe rail web as the extension 8. In order to hold these parts securely to the rail the extension 8 is bent downwardly and the upper end of the rod 9 is split and bent outwardly, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In

order to hold the rod 9 to the extension 7 a the extreme outer end of the latter is split and bent as shown in Fig. 7. The parts described are made of simple construction and are capable of ready application to rails whether new rails or rails already laid and the same is also true of the construction of any anti-creeper above described.

In the forms of anti-creeper already described the gripping and binding action thereof was on one side or flange only of the rail base but in Figs. 9 and 10 and some of the succeeding figures of the drawings I have illustrated and will now describe a form of anti-creeper capable of engaging and gripping both flanges or sides of the rail base.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10 the body portion 10 of the anti-creeper has a pair of extensions 11 extending over and engaging the upper faces of both flanges of the rail base by means of bearing surfaces 11 coacting with the bearing surface 10" on the upper portion or edge of the body of the anticreeper. These extensions 11 in connection with the body portion of the anti-creeper have jaws similar to those above described. This form of anti-creeper can be'slipped upon an end of the rail and placed at the desired point thereof with its lower curved end 10 in contact with a tie B, with the result that when the rail A moves in the direction of the arrow in Fig.'10 the .anticreeper will be moved or oscillated in an anti-clockwise direction and the lower bearing surface l0 will be brought almost increepers may be employed, the other set being of reversed form as compared with that tion when tilted prises two similar "legs 15, each one of winch. is similar to the body portion of the anti-creepers already deillustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 so that a movement in a direction opposite to that referred to will bring the second set'into action. It will be understood that in this form'of anticreeper or anchor, as well as in. the forms above described. the legwhich depends below the rails is so formed that it engages the tie in advance of the jaws and normally biases the bearing surfaces of the jaws into contact with the rail so that they are capable of immediately increasing the gripping ac- In Fig. 12 I have shown a form of anticreeper similar to that last described with the exception that the jaws 1.1 are provided with slight projections or somewhat blunt teeth 11 and the body portion with. coacting teeth 10". i

In Figs. 13 and 1 .2 I have shown a twopart construction of the form of anti-creeper illustrated in Fig. 9 for instance, this construction being provided application of this rails already-laid.

tion has two to enable the ready form ofanti-creeper to As shown the body porpractically similar interlocking sections 12 arranged to slide upon each other I when beingapplied to the rail and to be secured against displacement. Each section has an extension 13 forming a jaw and the righthand which is formed the bearin This extension whic is a little more than a semicircle in cross-section is adapted to fit in a horizontal socket formed in the extension 12 section. This latter section is also provided near its lower end with a T-shaped socket 12 adapted to receive an extension 12 of'the rigl ithand section of the anti-creeper, such extension. being also substantially T-shaped in cross-section as illustrated in Fig. 14. This extension is adapted to slide in said slot and in order that the parts may be held together when in home position with a sufiicient force to prevent displacement, I provide such extcnsionwith a small projecting point 12 adapted to engage a depression or cavity 12 in the base of the slot. The action of this form of anti-creeper is thesame as that shown in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 15 I have shown another modification. of the anti-creeper which may bctermed doublealcting in that it is capable of preventing the longitudinal n iovement or creeping of the rail in'either direction. .It is in effect the combination of two anti-creepers of the form already described. one being reversed with respect to the other but having only three of four in case .two separate anti-creepers were used. shownthe body portion comdcpi ding and angular scribed. However, the'ma-in portion ofthe even in the slightest degree.

section of Fig 13 has a horizontal extension 14: on

surface or contact 14".

of the lefthand modified form bearing points or surfaces instead effcofive gripping action.

anti-creeper formed by the junction of the legs 15 is provided with two para]lelbearing, surfaces 15 while the-extension 16 forming the upper jaw is provided with a single bearing surface '16 The latter bearing surface is always in contact with the upper face otthe rail base, the same being fulcrumedv thereu upon as in the forms above described and normally the two. bearing surfaces 15 are in position for immediate gripping action upon the under face of the rail base, either one or the other thereof being adapted to be brought into bearing and gripping contact therewith upon movement of the rail in one direction or the other. If the movement, of the rail is to the right in Fig. 15 the device will be slightly oscillated in a clockwise di rection, with the result that the lefthand bearing surface 15 Will be brought into action. In case the movement of the rail is in the opposite direction the device will booscillated in an anti-clockwise direction just as soon as the lefthand leg 15 has been moved longitudinally far enough to contact with and be arrested by the tie B whereupon the" righthand bearing "surface 15 will be brought into bearing on the rail. In this case as in respect to the forms of-construca tion above described, the bearing points or surfaces 15 and 16 are not in the same ver-"; tical plane but are offset, one of the surfaces 15* being on one side of the vertical plane of the surface 16 and the other on the-other side thereof. 1 y In the construction shown in Fig. 15 the 100 pair of bearing surfaces 15 are on the body of the anti-creeper while the single bearing l surface 16 is on the upper jaw,-but this arrangement may be reversed as illustrated in i Fig. 16 in which it will be seen that the body 105 portion 17 is provided with a singlebearing surface l7 while the aw 18 is provided with, the two bearing surfaces 18. Otherwise'tlie construction and. mode of operation are the same as the anti-creeper of Fig. 15.

[in Figs. 17 and 18 I have illustrateda of construction somewhat, similar to that of Fig. 1 with the exception that the body portion 19 which is provided with the same jaw 20 has a clip 21 engaging 115 an edge of the rail. base and secured to a horizontal eatension'lll" of such bodyportion, the latter parts being held together in,- suitable manner as by means of. a pin 22 passing through. a hole in the extension 19. 120

It will be understood that the bearing'contacts or surfaces of the various forms of construction hereinbefore described may be pro-v vided with teeth as in Fig. 12 or may be roughened or corrugated so as to give a most .125

I c aim: 1. An anti-creeper for rails con'iprising' a pair of jaws adapted to grip the base of.

the rail near the web, the gr1ppingcac'ti0n' being increased when the jaws are tilted in of the rail substantially a verticalplane, and a depending leg normally biasing the jaws to grip the rail and abutting a tie below and in advance of the jaws to tilt the jaws when the rail tends to creep.

2. An anti-creeper for rails comprising a substantially non-resilient member having a jaw arranged to oscillate and grip the rail along line contacts substantially transverse of the length of the rail.

3. An anti-creeper for rails comprising a substantially non-resilient member having a jaw arranged to oscillate and to normally grip the rail along line contacts substantially transverse of the length of the rail.

4. An anti-creeper for rails comprising a substantially non-resilient jaw having lines of biting contact substantially opposite each otheradapted to grip the top and bottom transverse of the length thereof.

5. An anti-creeper foi rails comprising a substantially non-resilient body having a pair of opposed jaw members provided with lines of biting contact cooperating with opposite sides of the same flange of the rail base, said jaw members normally gripping the rail flange.

'6. An anti-creeper for rails comprising a substantially non-resilient body having a pair of opposed jaw members provided with lines of biting contact cooperating with opposite sides of the same flange of the rail base, said body depending from the rail in a normally inclined position and said jaw members normallv gripping the rail flange by its said lines of contact.

7. An anti-creeper for rails. comprising a substantially non-resilient body. having a pair of opposed jaw members provided with lines of biting contact which act on opposite sides of the same flange of the rail base in a direction transverse of the length of the rail.

8. An anti-creeper for rails comprising a substantially non-resilient body having a pair of jaw members normally gripping the rail base and having lines of biting contact substantially opposite each other for acting on opposite sides of the rail base and in a dlirection transversely of the length of the rar 9. An anti-creeper for rails comprising a substantially non-resilient body depending from the rail and arranged to oscillate thereon, said body having jaw members provided with lines of biting contact substantially opposite each other and normally gripping the rail base in a direction transverse of the length thereof.

10. An anti-creeper for rails comprising a body having a central upward projection on its top side to contact the Fentral portion of the bottom face of the rail base and havingtza jaw member extending from one side'th reof over the rail base and contacting the latter.

11. A; one-piece rail anchor comprising a pair of jaws adapted to be applied to the rail base from one side and to grip the bottomof the base under the web of the rail and the top of the'base on one side of and near the web when the anchor is tilted in a vertical plane by engaging a tie.

12. A rail anchor having a pair of jaws to receive between them the base of the rail, one jaw engaging the top of the; base-at points removed from the edge thereof and the other engaging the bottom of the base substantially under the web, said jaws acting to grip the base of the rail when the anchor engages a tie as the rail tends to creep.

13. A single-piece rail anchor having jaws for gripping the base of the rail, means for engaging a tie and means projecting above the rail base for positively causing the jaws to impinge upon the rail base when the rail tends to creep.

14. A rail anchor having means adapted to grip the top and bottom of a rail base, means to engage a tie, and means for positively causing the anchor to grip the rail base when the rail tends to creep.

15. A single-piece rail anchor having jaws adapted to grip the top and bottom of a rail base, a projecting leg for engaging a tie, and an arm adapted to co-act with the rail web to positively cause the jaws to grip the rail base-when the rail tends to creep.

16. A single-piece rail anchor adapted to fit over the side of a rail. and having jaws for gripping the top and bottom of a rail base, a leg projecting downwardly and forwardly for engaging a. tie, and an arm cooperating with the rail to positively cause the anchor to tilt to grip the rail base when the rail tends to creep.

17. A rail anchor having jaws adapted to grip the top and bottom of a rail. base when the anchor is tilted, means to engage a tie, and means for attaching the anchor to the rail to positively tilt the anchor to cause the jaws to grip the rail base when the rail tends to creep.

18. A single-piece rail anchor having jaws adapted to grip the top and bottom of a rail base, a leg projecting downwardly and forwardly from one of the jaws for engaging a tie to act as a fulcrum on which upwardly from the other jaw and provided with means for attaching it to the web of e the rail whereby the anchor is positively tilted to cause the jaws to grip the rail base as the rail tends to creep.

19. A rail anchor having jaws to embrace a rail base, a leg to engage a tie, said parts being integral, and means projecting above the jaws to positively cause the jaws to impinge uponthe rail base when the rail tends to creep. i

20., A rail'anchor having jaws to embrace a rail base, integral means projecting be-',

low the jaws to engage a tie and 'form a fulcrum upon which the anchor may tilt to cause the jaws to grip the rail base, and integral-means projecting above the jaws to positively cause the anchor to tilt to grip the rail when the rail tends to creep.

21. A rail anchor having jaws adapted to embrace a rail base, integral means projecting below the jaws to engage a tie to form afulcrum upon which the anchor may tilt to grip the base, above the jaws, and means for attaching said last-named means to the web of the rail whereby the anchor is positively tilted to grip the rail as the rail tends to .creep.

22. A rail anchor adapted to be applied to the side of a rail and having jaws for embracing the rail base, means projecting below the jaws for engaginga tie and adapted. to form a fulcrum upon which the anchor may tilt, and means projecting above the jaws to co-act with the side of the rail to positively cause the anchor to tilt to grip' the rail as the rail starts to creep.

23. A single piece rail anchor having jaws adapted to grip the top and bottom of a rail base, a leg projecting downwardly for engaging a tie and an arm projecting above the rail base adapted to co-act with the rail to positively tilt the anchor to cause the jaws to grip the rail base when the rail tends to creep.

24. A rail'anchor having jaws to grip the bottom and one side of the top of the rail base, means for engaging a-tie, and means projecting above the rail base and cooperating with the web for insuring the grip ping of'the jaws upon the rail base when the rail tends to creep.

25. A rail anchor comprising gripping jaws disposed on opposite sides of a rail base and normally biased to impinge thereon. at points relatively close together in longitudina-l direction to effect good gripping action, and a depending leg adapted to bias the jaws and to abut a tie some distance below the rail and increase the gripping action thereof.

26. A rail anchor comprising gripping jaws to be disposed on opposite sides of and adapted to firmly grip the base of a rail when tilted in a vertical plane by theanchor engaging a tie, hold the jaws in place and insure their gripping the rail base when the rail tends to creep.

27. A rail anchor comprising gripping jaws to be disposed on opposite sides of and adapted to firmly grip the base of a rail, a depending leg for engaging a tie to cause the aws in place and insure their the rail base when the leg integral means projecting in advance of the jaws to and pivotal means to the jaws to grip, and pivotalmeans to hold gripping abuts a tie as the rail tends to creep.

28. A rail anchor comprising gripping jaws to be disposed on opposite sides of the baseof a rail, and each adapted to grip the base near the web of the rail, and a depending leg'for engaging a tie to cause the jaws to grip the base when the rail tends tocreep.

29. A one-piece rail anchor haying a depending leg for abutting a tie, and a pair of jaws operated by the leg to grip the rail base so that the strains are imparted to the a tie some distancebelow the rail and in advance of the jaws to. bias the jaws, and to cause them to tilt in avertical plane to increase their grip on the rail base as the rail tends to creep.

31. A rail anchor comprising gripping jaws disposed on opposite sides of, and adapted to firmly grip the base of a rail, a depending leg for engaging a tie to cause the jawsto grip the rail base, and pivot I means to hold the jaws in place and insure their gripping the rail base whenthe leg abuts a-tie as the rail tends to creep. 32. A rail anchor comprising gripping jaws disposed on opposite sides of the base of a rail and each adapted to grip the base near the web of the rail, and a depending leg for engaging a tie to cause the jaws to grip the base when the rail tends to creep.

33. A one-piece rail anchor comprising a body portion extending around one side of the base flange of the rail and having jaws to grip the base when the anchor istilted in a vertical plane, 2. depending leg extending in advance of the jaws for engaging the side of a cross tie to tilt the anchor, and means extending from said body portion and around the opposite side of the base'fiange of the rail to hold theanchor in place upon the rail.' 7 i v 34. A rail anchor comprising a body portion extending around one side of the base flange of a rail and having plane, a projection extending from the body portion and bent around of the base flange to hold the anchor in place, and a depending leg for abutting the side of a cross tie to causethe anchor'to tilt.

tion extending around one side of the base flange of a rail and having jaws to grip the base when the anchor tilts in a vertical jaws to grip the. basev when the anchor tilts in a vertical the opposite side 35. A rail anchor comprising body porplane, means bent upon the opposite, side of the base flange to hold the anchor in place, and a depending leg for abutting the side of a cross tie to cause the anchor to tilt.

36. An anti-creeper having means for engaging'both sides of the rail base, means projecting downwardly to engage the side of a cross tie, and means for connecting the anti-creeper to the rail to positively tilt the anti-creeper to cause it to grip the rail base when the rail tends to creep.

37. An anti-creeper having means for engaging both sides of the rail base, means projecting downwardly to engage the side of a cross tie, and a projection arranged to be received within an opening in the web of the rail for positively causing the anticreeper to grip the rail base when the rail tends to creep. r

38. A rail anchor comprising a'pair of jaws for gripping the base of a rail when tilted in a vertical plane, a depending leg for engaging a tie to cause the jaws to tilt, and means extending through the web of the rail to hold the anchor in place.

39. A rail anchor having a pair of jaws to receive between them and grip the base a of the rail, one jaw engaging the top of the base near the web and the'other engaging the bottom of the base substantially below the web, and a depending leg for abutting a tie to cause the jaws to increase their grip on the rail.

40. A rail anchor having a depending leg for abutting a tie and a pair of jaws adapt ed to receive the base of a rail between them and to increasingly grip the base as the leg engages a tie, one jaw gripping the rail base only in a restricted area substantially under the web and the other jaw gripping the top of the base.

41. A one-piece rail anchor comprising a lower jaw for gripping only the inner portion of the bottom of the rail base, an upper jaw extending from the lower jaw around one edge of and engaging the top of the rail base said jaws acting to prevent relative movement between the rail and tie when the anchor abuts a tie as the rail tends to creep.

42. A rail anchor having a depending leg for abutting a tie, a pair of jaws formed integrally with the leg and operated thereby to grip the rail base between them near its center.

ROBT. E. BELKNAP. Witnesses S. E. HIBBEN, ROBERT DOBBERMAN. 

